Niagara Celtic Festival kicks off Saturday in Olcott

Press release

The
12th annual Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival and Highland
Games will take place in Olcott on Saturday, Sept. 15, and Sunday,
Sept. 16, at Krull Park in historic Olcott Beach.

Recently,
Krull Park was honored with a second-place finish in Coca-Cola's
"America's Favorite Park Contest," and took home a $50,000
prize after receiving more than 21 million votes. The Niagara Celtic
Heritage Festival has been held at Krull Park each year since 2002.

This
year, the festival grounds have been split into eight regions so that
festivalgoers have an easier time finding the events and attractions
they want to attend.

An
array of special events take place, including two ceremonial parades
each day, featuring clan groups, bagpipe bands, re-enactors, a
re-creation of the marine landing of the Bonnie Prince Charlie, and
an evening jam session of Celtic musicians called a "Siesiun."

Last
year, 12,000 people attended the festival. That number continues to
grow each year. The Celtic Festival features a diverse selection of
activities, including its latest offering: a "Celtic College,"
where attendees can learn firsthand about genealogy and how to play
bagpipes.

The
festival also celebrates the history and pride of the Scottish people
at the clan row. The living history component features re-enactors
from all over the region. There is a wonderful array of animal
demonstrations and a petting zoo, as well.

One
of the most popular features of the festival is the "Kid's Corner,"
which features a bubble center, face-painting, Irish games,
castle-ring toss and many other child-friendly activities.

More
than 30 musical acts are appearing on three stages, ranging from
regional acts to international favorites. The culminating musical
event is a Saturday night "Ceilidh" (pronounced kay-lee)
headlined by the Glengarry Bhoys, along with Penny Whiskey and the
McMahon School of Dance.

For
sports fans, the festival features a "Highland Games"
competition. The centuries-old strongman competition features events
such as a caber pole toss, stone throw, and weights thrown for
distance. There are professional and amateur divisions, and this year
a "beat the pros" contest.